Downtown traffic numbers might surprise

SMITHFIELD — A study reveals much about downtown traffic, some of it surprising.

For example, the speed limit on Market Street from Front Street to Bright Leaf Boulevard is a cautious 25 mph, though the impression among Smithfield residents is that drivers go much faster.

But according to a study, the average speed of westbound traffic on that stretch of Market Street varies from just 18 mph in front of the courthouse to a still-slow 25 in front of First Citizens.

Eastbound traffic travels faster on average, though not considerably, according to the study, which the N.C. Department of Transportation commissioned and a consulting firm performed. The average speed of eastbound traffic is 28 mph in front of the courthouse and 31 mph in front of First Citizens.

Some drivers do go faster, with westbound speeds often reaching 31 mph in front of First Citizens and 24 mph in front of the courthouse. Eastbound drivers go even faster, with many reaching 38 mph in front of the courthouse and 31 in front of the bank.

Planning Director Stephen Wensman wasn’t surprised that eastbound drivers go faster than their westbound counterparts through downtown. Those drivers are entering downtown from West Smithfield, where the speed limit is higher, he noted.

“I think there are many vehicles that don’t slow down until they hit the first stop light,” Wensman said.

That first red light can be at Front Street but also Second, Third, Fourth or Fifth depending on when the light turns.

“The westbound doesn’t look so bad because of stoplights until you cross the river,” Wensman said.

From 2012 to 2022, downtown was the scene of 514 crashes, and here’s where the numbers might not be all that surprising, given on-street parking and multiple parking lots. According to the study, 29% of the 514 crashes involved parked cars, and 26% happened when one vehicle sideswiped another. Some 20% of the 514 crashes were rear-end mishaps, and 10% involved left turns.

Most of the accidents happened along Market Street between Second and Fourth streets.

“The intersections with Second and Third streets stand out the most with the higher numbers of accidents,” said Wensman, who reviewed the study’s preliminary findings for the Town Council on July 9.

In all, 447 of the 514 accidents involved property damage only, while 66 caused injuries, and one ended in a fatality. None involved pedestrians or bicycles.

While the numbers suggest that speeding isn’t severe and that the risk to pedestrians safety is low, the public, in an online survey and in person, called for both speed enforcement and safer street crossings downtown. People also want traffic signals downtown to cater more to pedestrians.

Turning to downtown parking, the study suggests that Smithfield has ample parking, though perhaps not in the most popular spots.

For example, even at midmorning on a weekday, when court’s in session and businesses are open, just 57% of downtown parking spaces have a car in them, according to the study, which counted nearly 1,100 spaces.

Of course, demand is considerably higher for some parking spaces than others, the study showed. During business hours, more than 90% of spaces in the parking lot behind the courthouse are full. That’s true also for the spaces on the east side of the 100 block of South Third Street. Demand is high too for spaces in the lot behind the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield.

Still to come are the study’s recommendations for downtown traffic improvements. Among them could be turning Second and Third streets into one-way streets, with one going north and the other going south.

“Overall, the study should provide an ability to fine-tune light timing and pedestrian crossings to improve the downtown environment,” Wensman said.

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